Tube adapter



Sept. 2', 1930. c F. GOUDY 1,774,646

TUBE ADAPTER Filed April 19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a E IVNVENTOIQ{V S t Y 1 3 c. F. GOUDY 11,774,646

TUBE ADAPTER Filed April 19 28 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2, 1930 CARL I. GOUDY, OF FLUSI-IING, NEW YORK TUBE. ADAPTER Application filed April 19,

This invention relates tothe electric operation of phonographs, and more particularly to apparatus by which the ordinary phonograph may be converted to electrical operation and used in conjunction with a radio receiving set.

Special objects of the invention are to facilitate the connection of the so-called electrical pick-up which is used at the phonograph with the desired stage of the radio receiving set, and to accomplish this connection Without disturbing the tubes or other parts of the receiving set.

Hereto-fore, in using the radio set in conjunction with a phonograph, the practice has been to remove the detector tube or first audio tube of the set, and to substitute a pronged member connected with the phonograph pick-up. The substitution of this pronged member in place of the detector or audio tube necessarily rendered the radio apparatus inoperative as a receiving set, and the power of the removed tube was lost to the phonographic reproduction.

Important novel features of the present invention are the utilization of all or as many of the tubes in the receiving set as desired, the possibility of using the phonograph and receiving set conjointly or instantly changing back to radio reception, and the adaptation of the receiving set to phonographic reproduction without the requirement of any special plugs, prong-carrying members, or other accessories.

Various other novel features of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrate a number of different practical forms the invention may take, but it is to be understood that other changes and modifications may be made without departure from the true spirit and broad scope of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation and partial perspective view illustrating'themanner in which the connection from the pick-up of the receiving set is accomplished in this invention by direct contact with the prongs of the tube; Fig. 2 is a plan view'of the special tube connector; Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross- 1928. Serial N0. 271,153.

sectional view of the connector as taken along 1 a four prong-tube; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a form oi the connector having a switch incorporated therein for cutting the phonographic reproducer into and out of operation with out affecting the function of the tube in the receiving set; Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the switch structure as on substantially the plane of 6-6, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the switch connector construction for a i'ive prong tube and illustrating the switch member in a different position; Figs. 8' and 9 are plan views of a form of the connector made in two separate parts, one for engagement with a small sized prong, and the other for engagement with a large sized prong of a radio tube.

Fig. 1 illustrates the general arrangement of the apparatus, the special re-producer or so-called pick-up unit being indicated at 1, carried by the phonograph tone arm 2, and provided with a needle 3 engaging the record i on the turn-table 5. The picloup is shown as of the construction disclosed in Patents 1,681,897 and 1,701,000, and is illus trated connected by conductor cord 6 with a volume control 7, which latter is shown connected by a further length of cord 8 with the special connector.

This special connecting device is constructed so as to make contact directly with the prongs of one of the tubes in the radio receiving set, without xhsplacing the tube and without preventing its use in the normal way in the set.

In the forms of the invention illustrated contact is established with a filament and id prong of the tube by metallic strips or lugs 9, 10, perforated at their inner ends to engage over the particular prongs mentioned, and provided at their outer ends with sockets, or other suitable terminals for the ends of the conductor cord.

The contact strips 9, 10 are shown as pierced at their inner ends, and as having points or barbs ll at such openings struck downwardly and curled under through coriii responding openings 12 in a layer of insulating material. 13. These points definitely position the strip on the sheet of insulation and act as sprin lingers friction: lly gripping the prongs of the tube, and the insulation is a mechanical, as well an electrical protection for the contact material. As shown particularly in Fig. 3 these points are disposed in diametrically opposite relation so as to exert pressure against opposite sides of the tube pron s, thereby providing ample contact area with the prongs and mechanically gripping the prongs in secure holding engagement.

In addition to the underlyin layer of insulation, the towns of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to T have an over-lying la e-r of insulating material 1- which besides giv' tional protection electri Ely, H forces {UK stili'cns the structure and prov a. hand hold by which the device may be rezuhly slipped onto the tube prongs or be removed This top plate of insulation is cl ierefrom. shown as extended beyond the perimeter of the tube base, and. as carrying on such ex tended portion, the split spring sockets or eyelets 15 rivet-ed through the ins la tion and the contact strips beneath the same, 3, and providing terminr-ils for the cord tips 16. The two layers of insulation re shown as secured together, with the contact strips therebetwcen by a central eyelet 17.

To insure the engagement of the contacts with the input prongs of he tube, the base may be provided with a suitable marker or indicator, such as the w 1? for registry with the positioning pin 18 on the base of the vacuum tube 19, and when used with a tube having dil" rent sized prong such as the four prong tubes now in general use. the one lug 9 may be made with a small opening to tit one of the small prongs of the tube. and the other lug 10 with a l rger opening to tit one of the larger prongs of the tube, 2. here the prongs of the tube are all the shine size, as in the case of a s. ndard live r-"on tube, the contact lugs will be perfora t cordingly, and will be positioned inuicatcc'l in Fig. a, so as to engage the proper prongs of the tube. a

lVith the form of tube sockets now in oral use, such as indicated at 20 in Fig. 1, there ample room for the connector, on the prongs beneath the base of the tube. and the device therefore does not interfere in any way with the regula' use of the tube in the receiving set. The connector is mounted by simply sliping it over the pron s o l the tube, and may be left in place on to be used at a ny time by simply o: cord tips with the terminals of the shine.

To facilitate the change rom radio to phonograph operation and vice versa, one of the contact strips, in this case the one for making connection with the grid prong may be utilized as a switch arm, as the strip 9 is all the movable member of the switch is shown,

as perforated in its outer end portion to receive the point of a pencil or other actuating medium, the -d opening being exposed through slots 23 in the base layers 13, 14c.

The forms of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5, (3 and 7 have the advantage that the cord from the phonograph pick-up may be left connector all the time, and the change over from phonograph to radio be controlled by means of the change over switch described, the switch being closed when the phonograph to be used and being shifted to open circuit position when it is wished to cut oil the phonograph and use the radio.

Instead of being combined on a single base, the prong engaging pick-up contacts may be in the form of separate pieces as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9.

The contact strips shown .in Figs. 8 and 9 are like those already described, except that each is mounted on a separate insulating base strip 13*, so that each contact may be handled as a separate unit. The Fig. 8 contact is shown intended for use on a small sized tube prong, and tne Fig. 9 contact for a large sized pron These separate unit contacts may conveniently be put up in sets of three, two for small prongs, and the third for a large sized prong, so that the purchaser may use them with either a. four prong-or a five prong tube, according as to whichever style is employed in the receiving set.

In all the several forms of the invention, it will be seen that no prong carrying member, such as has heretofore been necessary is required, that the connection is made with the radio set through the prongs of the tube, that the tube remains in place in its socket, and therefore can be used in the set in its usual way, or else be used for the phonograph pick-up, and that when used for the pick-up, the amplifying effect of the tube is utilized in the re-production. the invention having the switch incorporated therewith illustrated in Figs. 5 to '4' enable the change from phonograph ro-production to radio reception to le aceomplished innuediately without disconnecting or removing parts. All forms of the device are relatively simple and inexpensive, and can-be readily applied to, or removed from the tube, and are of such compact form as not to be in the way of any other parts of the receiving set.

The connector may be detachably con- The forms of ins nected with the volume control as indicated, or be permanently connected therewith as desired. By connecting the pick-up unit with the input prongs of the detector or amplifier tube, the amplification of the tube is utilized, but when this amplification is not required or desired, the connector may be engaged with the output prongs of the tube by suitable rearrangement of the parts.

What is claimed is:

1. A tube adapter comprising a light thin sheet of insulating material pierced for the passage of a prong of a radio receiving tube, a contact strip extending from the outer edge portion of said insulating sheet to the opening therein and pierced in line with such opening to fit over and make contact with the prong of a radio tube extending through such opening, said contact strip having points about the opening therein and curled through the opening in the sheet of insulating material to thereby mechanically position the strip relatively to the opening in the sheet of insulation and a spring socket for a cord tip terminal electrically connected with the outer end of said contact strip at the edge of said sheet of insulating material.

2. A tube adapter comprising a light thin sheet of insulating material pierced for the passage of a prong of a radio receiving tube, a contact strip extending from the outer edge portion of said insulating sheet to the open ing therein and pierced in line with such opening to fit over and make contact with the prong of a radio tube extending through such opening, said contact strip having points about the opening therein and curled through the opening in the sheet of insulating material to thereby mechanically position the strip relatively to the opening in the sheet of insulation, a spring socket for a cord tip terminal electrically connected with the outer end of said contact strip at the edge of said sheet of insulating material, said cord tip terminal socket having a base portion riveted through both the sheet of insulating material and the contact strip to thereby bind the sheet and contact together.

3. A tube adapter for mounting on the prongs of radio receiving tubes and comprising a piece of sheet insulation pierced for the passage of a prong of a radio receiving tube and a contact strip extending over the face of said sheet insulation, said contact strip having a portion at one end bent down through the opening and curled under the lower side of the sheet insulation, a wiring" terminal at the opposite end of said contact strip, said Wiring terminal being maintained in definite position on the insulation by a fastening member extending through said sheet insulation and whereby said contact strip is secured to and definitely positioned on the sheet insulation at both ends and sepa- 'minal.

ration of the strip from the insulation is prevented at both ends of the strip.

l. An adapter for mounting on the prongs of radio tubes, comprising superposed layers of sheet insulation pierced for passage of the tube prongs, a substantially centrally disposed rivet securing the layers of insulation together, a contact strip held between the two layers and extending from the rim portion to a pierced portion of the two layers, said strip having a portion at its inner end extended in through the opening in one of the insulating layers and a cord tip terminal riveted through one of the insulating layers and mechanically and electrically connected with the outer end of the contact strip.

5. An adapter for mounting on the prongs of radio receiving tubes, comprising a sheet of insulating material, pierced to pass over the prong of a radio tube, a wiring terminal fastened on the insulation at a point removed from the prong opening therein and provided with a switch terminal and a contact strip extending over the insulating material from the opening to the switch terminal, said strip having a portion extended through the opening to pivotally secure the contact strip and providing a contact for engagement with a tube prong and also a pivot by which the strip may be swung into and out of engagement with the switch terminal of the wiring ter- 6. An adapter for electric phonographs, comprising insulating members secured in superposed relation, contacts for engagement by the prongs of a radio receiving tube carried by said members, a laterally swinging switch lever pivotally mounted between said insulating members and projecting to an operating position off to one side of the tube prong contacts, a switch contact positioned for engagement by said laterally swinging lever off to one side of the prong engaging contacts and stop means limiting the lateral throw of said switch lever, all whereby said switch lever is readily operable in a plane transversely of the tube prongs within the limits afforded by the stop means aforesaid.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CARL F. GOUDY. 

